Pentecost 10
Prayer has always been a part of my life. As a very young child, I remember saying my
bedtime prayers with my mother. She
would come and sit on the side of my bed and we would say “Now I lay me down to
sleep…” and then recite a German prayer,
“Ich bin klein, mein Herz ist rein. Soll
niemand drin wohnen als Jesus allein.” (Translation: “I am small, my heart is pure. Nobody may dwell in here but Jesus.”) We
prayed “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest…” at mealtimes. Through those simple childhood prayers, I
not only learned the importance of being in regular conversation with my Lord,
but also learned some of the most basic tenets of my faith.
As I got older, I learned to pray in other ways. We still recited prayers, some of them
ancient, that shaped my faith and my life, but I also learned how to share what
was on my heart and mind with God. In
college and seminary I discovered the beauty and power of the Psalms, the prayer
book of ancient Israel. Someone once
said that the Psalms expressed the whole breadth and depth of human emotion
before God. I believe that’s true. The Psalms confess and claim confidence in God’s
steadfast love in the best and the worst of times. Early
in my pastoral ministry, I discovered the richness of silence and
meditation. I learned how to listen, not
just ask. I learned how to attend to the
presence of God, not just ask God to attend to me and my requests.
In this week’s reading, a disciple asks Jesus how to
pray. In response, Jesus teaches the
disciples what the Church has come to call the “Lord’s Prayer.” What a gift! Like my childhood prayers, it both teaches the
faith and shapes our ongoing conversation with God. It provides both words to use in approaching
God and an agenda for our praying. The
prayer both reminds us of the blessings of God, and the strength of God’s
steadfast love when we come up against the brokenness of life.
Today, prayer continues to be the bedrock of my relationship
with God. My morning prayer time,
including the regular recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, anchors my day in God’s
grace and love. “Practicing the presence
of God” throughout the day reminds me of who I am and whose I am even in the
midst of the busy-ness of life (I admit,
not an easy discipline, and one I fail at often). Prayer is a practice in relationship, and,
like all human relationships, is never something you fully master or perfect.
I encourage you to keep practicing the presence of God in
your life. Sit and listen. Share your heart and your mind with your
Creator. In childlike innocence, open
yourself to dwell in the steadfast love and mercy of the One who always dwells
in, and around you, both now and forever.
Peace,
Bishop Mike.
Thanks for reading!
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